The invention relates to transmissions in general, and more particularly to improvements in apparatus for regulating the temperatures of clutches on the shafts of transmissions for use in the power trains of motor vehicles. Still more particularly, the invention relates to improvements in transmissions which employ plural clutches, especially to transmissions which employ plural multiple-disc or multiple-plate clutches.
It is desirable to prevent overheating of disc clutches which are mounted on a shaft of a change-speed transmission in the power train of a motor vehicle. Such cooling is especially desirable or necessary if the clutches are utilized as starter clutches in a change-speed transmission, such as a CVT (continuously variable transmission). As a rule, or at least in many instances, the clutches are mounted on the input shaft of a continuously variable transmission, one of the clutches is put to use when the transmission is shifted into one of several (e.g., an infinite number of) forward gears, and another clutch is put to use when the transmission is shifted into reverse gear.
A drawback of presently utilized continuously variable transmissions of the above outlined character is that their clutches are likely to be overheated which can entail serious damage to the clutches as well as to other component parts of such transmissions. Moreover, heretofore known cooling systems are too bulky, too expensive and/or insufficiently reliable for use in passenger cars and/or other types of motor vehicles.